Reversing-propeller throttle control



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,220

' C-F-JENKINS I R EVER SING PROPELLER THROTTLE CONTROL Filed July 23,1927 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

.UNITED STATES 1,694,220 PATENT OFFICE.

REVERSING-PROPEELER THROTTLE CONTROL.-

Application filed July 23,

This invention relatcsto airplanes, and has for its principal objectdevices for bringing an airplane to a stop promptly after touching theground and is supplemental to the subject device of Patent No.1,634,904.

Ithas been found that reversing the pitch of the propeller blades afterthe plane has touched the ground, and then opening the. throttle of themotor to give reverse power to the propeller, introduces a delay that,if not actually dangerous, certainly is not conducive ,to the promptestpossible stop, often where seconds count because of the high landingspeed of some planes.

This invention seeks, therefore, to further reduce the hazard of landingby still more promptly stopping the plane after it alights.

With this and other objects in view the in vention consists in the noveldetails of construction and combination of parts more particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification,.in which like numerals designate like parts in all of thefigures I Figure 1 is an airplane; Figure 2 the mo-- tor-sectionmotor-propeller section of the p plane; and Figure 3 theblade-rotatinglever,

lock, and throttle-actuating catch.

In the several figures, A is a propeller,the blades of which may berotated about their longitudinal axis; B a collar slidable along theengine shaft, and connected by links. C to levers D on the hub-end ofeach blade; E a loose ring in a groove on collar B, wliich advances orretracts the collar to partiallyrotate the blades to give them adifferent angular attack on the air; F a connecting rod from ring E tothe hand lever G, which is in two 40 parts. The two parts of the handlever are pivoted at H and one of the parts, G, has a. notch J in thelower, quadrant-shaped end of it to engage with a latch K. This latch ispivoted at L and has attached thereto rods M and N, one of which, N, isfastened to the tail-skid P, and the other, M, attached to some part ofthe landing-gear truck, R, which, as usual, supports the plane onsprings, i. e., springsbetween truck and fuse- 60 lage.

S isa safetyblock on the lower end of lever which prevents the latch Kfrom being pulled out by the landing gear until the block is moved fromunder the latch Whenlever G is pushed forward. Each of the rods M and Nhas a spring end Z, so that the shock gear before the lever lockedpart-of the lever,

the truck, or both,

1927. Serial No 207,949.

damage the reversing can be moved. P is a rod attached to the throttle,the opposite end of which has a notch Q therein, to be engaged by thepawl'W operable by the latch r is a foot lever to set the whole mechaoflanding does not .nism back to zero, that is, in locked position for atake-off.

The displacement of the safety block .8 is the first result of themovement of the hand leverG. This forward movement of the le ver alsobrings the pin T on the lever against one of the detents on the upperend of the and further movement partially rotates. the blades of thepropeller, The further movement referred to is possible only when thelever is unlocked by' the landing gear, either the tail-skid of cominginto contact with the ground.

Such setting of the blades. renders the propeller effective in stoppingthe machine when the engine is turned up to such speed as circumstancesmay require.

in reverse in the smallest possible time after the blades are reversed,the. same lever which reverses the blades is arranged to open the enginethrottle. This saves vital fractions of secondsin theprocess of a quickstop, where the time the pilot requires to change his hand iromreversing lever to throttle might be atal.

- After the plane stops, the locking-latch remains out of engagementWith the notch J because the the truck is pushing up on the spring-endedrod M. So to prepare the plane for a takeofi and flight the pilot putshis foot on the permitting the latch K to enter the notch if and belockedin place'by the block S. In such position the regular throttle ofthe motor is free for service in the usual manner.-

In these specifications the Word ground is In order that the power maybe turned on Weight of the plane onpedal X and pushes down on the sprinused to mean the landing surface upon which theplane comes to'rest, andobviously, may

be the surface of water, the deck of aship, an elevated landingplatform, or the like.

.What I claim, 1s 1. The combination, in an airplane, of a motortherein, a throttle for controlling said motor, a propeller driven bysaid motor, re-

versing gear for saidpropeller, alever for controlling the reversinggear, means. for' connecting said throttle and reversing-gear lever toinsure simultaneous operation of the two,,and means for preventingoperation of said last mentioned means until the airplane engages thelanding surface.

2. The combinatlon, in an airplane, of a motor therein, a throttle forsaid motor, a

-pr peller driven hy said motor, reverslng gear for said propeller,means for simultaneously operating the, throttle and; the reversinggear, and means for locklng said means 1n opv erative position.

3. The combination, in an airplane, of a f motor therein, a throttle forsaid motor, a propeller driven by SEtlCl 'motor reverslng gear forsaidpropeller, means which may be used at will for simultaneouslyoperating the throttle and the reversing gear. means for locking saidoperating means, and means oppropeller driven by said motor, reversing.

gear for said propeller, means for locking said reversing gear, andmeansffor unlocking the same When the plane contacts with the ground,and means for again locking the reversing gear While the weight of theplane is v on the ground.

In testimony whereof I have affixed iny signature. 5

CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS

